Many vehicle applications avoid the use of energy flywheel systems due, in large part, to the structural complications introduced by inertial counter-forces imparted on the systems from the vehicle's changes in yaw, pitch and/or roll.
Many energy flywheel systems include one or more components that are rotationally mounted within a housing assembly. These components, which may be referred to as the rotating group, include, for example, an energy storage flywheel, a motor/generator, and a shaft. In particular, the energy storage flywheel and motor/generator may be mounted on the shaft, which may in turn be rotationally supported via one or more bearing assemblies, mounted to the housing assembly.
When an energy flywheel system is being transported, rotational events, occur that are not along the axis of the rotational group. These events may cause the energy flywheel system to experience stresses, both internally and externally (e.g., about any of the bearing assemblies, or along any mounts or joints connecting the energy flywheel system to the transported vehicle). As a result, the rotating group can be damaged, which can shorten the effective life of the energy flywheel system, shorten the effective life of the joints attaching the energy flywheel system to the vehicle, and/or can increase system costs.
Hence, there is a need for a system and method for allowing the rotating group in an energy flywheel system to rotate freely, without damaging itself or its surroundings, while simultaneously being able to extract the energy stored within.